Board 425: Work in Progress: Initiating a Research Experience for Teachers Centered on Manufacturing

Marian Kennedy; Kristin Kelly Frady

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: June 26, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 4
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--47015
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47015
Download Count: 65

Paper Authors

biography

Marian Kennedy Clemson University orcid.org/0000-0003-4395-3154

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Marian Kennedy is an Associate Professor within the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Clemson University. Her research group focused on the mechanical and tribological characterization of thin films. She also contributes to engineering education with a focus on developing early career researchers and faculty.

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biography

Kristin Kelly Frady Clemson University orcid.org/0000-0002-4194-8848

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Kristin Frady is an Assistant Professor and Founding Program Director of the Human Capital Education and Development Bachelor of Science with a joint appointment between the Educational and Organizational Leadership Development and Engineering and Science Education Departments. Her research focuses on innovations in workforce development at educational and career transitions emphasizing two-year college and secondary STEM and career education, educational innovations, and the middle skill workforce which has resulted in over 110 publications and presentations. Kris has written and been awarded 24 federal and foundation grants totaling over $17.7 million including the National Science Foundation’s prestigious early CAREER award. Kris has also led development of nationally adopted digital learning and training tools for technician education including virtual reality tools, e-learning modules, and iBooks.

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Abstract

Manufacturing is a foundation of economic growth and job creation across the U.S. and is constantly changing with improvements in technology, materials and design. While this field is a pillar for economic growth within the US, manufacturing companies struggle to recruit a prepared workforce. Therefore, a program for high school teachers was established to increase understanding of the multiple career pathways in manufacturing along with their ability to explain how new manufacturing technologies depend on the advancement of engineering and science. Specifically, this program was focused on the manufacturing in the southeastern US and facilitated by a research-intensive university with a center focused on driving advanced manufacturing. This paper provides an overview of: (1) this research experience for teachers program, (2) changes between initial program vision and adjustments from this vision during initial implementation, (3) insight into how teachers’ self-confidence in discussing manufacturing changed during the program, and (4) reflections of the program team on the benefits and challenges facilitating a research program for teachers versus undergraduates on a research campus. Eight high school teachers in the summer of 2023 were invited to engage in manufacturing research and learn about the manufacturing field over a six-week intensive program and then bring their newly gained knowledge back to their classrooms the following academic year by incorporating it into a lesson plan. The cohort of high school teachers was diverse with respect to gender (50% self-reporting as female), ethnicity (25% African American/Black), educational level (37.5% held a masters degree) and prior research experience. While this cohort is still mid-program (all have not yet incorporated their teaching modules into their classrooms), all have completed the onsite research, completed professional development activities and toured manufacturing facilities. Using surveys and focus group interviews, the program administration looked at the teachers’ changing self-confidence in talking about and teaching manufacturing in their classrooms. Analysis showed that these teachers already have reported increased confidence and comfort with presenting information on advanced manufacturing to their students.

Changes in how the program is administered will be made for the next cohort. The shifting calendar for schools in the southeastern region to shorter summers in exchange for a higher number of short breaks during the academic year, has made it more difficult for teachers to commit to being onsite for a continuous six-week research experience. To help interested teachers, the RET leadership team allowed teachers the ability to incorporate remote work or a mid-program leave. In addition, the recruiting process will be changed. Recruiting of teachers was a more intensive process than the leadership team anticipated.

Citation
Format

Kennedy, M., & Frady, K. K. (2024, June), Board 425: Work in Progress: Initiating a Research Experience for Teachers Centered on Manufacturing Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--47015

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Manufacturing is a foundation of economic growth and job creation across the U.S. and is constantly changing with improvements in technology, materials and design. While this field is a pillar for economic growth within the US, manufacturing companies struggle to recruit a prepared workforce. Therefore, a program for high school teachers was established to increase understanding of the multiple career pathways in manufacturing along with their ability to explain how new manufacturing technologies depend on the advancement of engineering and science. Specifically, this program was focused on the manufacturing in the southeastern US and facilitated by a research-intensive university with a center focused on driving advanced manufacturing. This paper provides an overview of: (1) this research experience for teachers program, (2) changes between initial program vision and adjustments from this vision during initial implementation, (3) insight into how teachers’ self-confidence in discussing manufacturing changed during the program, and (4) reflections of the program team on the benefits and challenges facilitating a research program for teachers versus undergraduates on a research campus.  
Eight high school teachers in the summer of 2023 were invited to engage in manufacturing research and learn about the manufacturing field over a six-week intensive program and then bring their newly gained knowledge back to their classrooms the following academic year by incorporating it into a lesson plan. The cohort of high school teachers was diverse with respect to gender (50% self-reporting as female), ethnicity (25% African American/Black), educational level (37.5% held a masters degree) and prior research experience. While this cohort is still mid-program (all have not yet incorporated their teaching modules into their classrooms), all have completed the onsite research, completed professional development activities and toured manufacturing facilities. Using surveys and focus group interviews, the program administration looked at the teachers’ changing self-confidence in talking about and teaching manufacturing in their classrooms. Analysis showed that these teachers already have reported increased confidence and comfort with presenting information on advanced manufacturing to their students. 

Changes in how the program is administered will be made for the next cohort. The shifting calendar for schools in the southeastern region to shorter summers in exchange for a higher number of short breaks during the academic year, has made it more difficult for teachers to commit to being onsite for a continuous six-week research experience. To help interested teachers, the RET leadership team allowed teachers the ability to incorporate remote work or a mid-program leave. In addition, the recruiting process will be changed. Recruiting of teachers was a more intensive process than the leadership team anticipated. 
AU  - Marian Kennedy
AU  - Kristin Kelly Frady
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 425: Work in Progress: Initiating a Research Experience for Teachers Centered on Manufacturing
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47015
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--47015
ER  -